A Relaxing Cruise Around Southern Arizona’s Saguaro Lake
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Recently, we took a wonderful narrated ride along Saguaro Lake, located inside the Tonto National Forest just 45 min northeast of Phoenix. While I prefer hiking amongst the tall cacti, it’s just too hot most of the time in the summer. An air conditioned boat ride just sounds so much more enticing this time of year. Brutal 100+ degree daytime summer temps can make any outdoor activity miserable, even downright dangerous.
So what do you do in Phoenix when you want to enjoy the fabulous scenery, yet you do not want to suffer heat exhaustion? Fortunately, there are a number of indoor attractions as well as lakes and boat cruises to enjoy. What I love most about the Desert Belle cruise on Saguaro Lake is that you still get to enjoy the beautiful scenery which makes the Sonoran Desert such a unique place. Not only is this boat ride a great way to beat the heat, it’s also a great alternative for non hikers to still appreciate the exotic scenery.
A gorgeous air conditioned ride
Taking this fun tour allows you to enjoy a bit of the gorgeous Sonoran Desert scenery without overexerting yourself in the hot desert. That being said, during the winter months, I highly recommend exploring a few of the wonderful hiking and biking trails found throughout the metro. It just isn’t the same viewing these majestic cacti by boats. Nevertheless, when summertime comes along, this cruise is your next best sightseeing option.
Cruisin’ on the lake
The Desert Belle is a 2 level boat, with an air conditioned lower deck and a covered upper deck. Surprisingly, even in 100+ degree weather, we were not all that uncomfortable standing on the deck to enjoy the scenery. There was enough of a breeze once the boat got going.
The covered seating really goes a long way in keeping any sun away. To me, not having the harsh sun in my face makes the heat a bit more tolerable. As soon as you start moving, the breeze is quite pleasant. An on-site snack bar and drinks are available for purchase during your ride. Also there is a lakeside restaurant after your ride if you want to enjoy a full lunch.
Both daytime and sunset cruises are available. The daytime cruise gives you a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the scenery despite the intense summer heat. This is a great way to take in the breathtaking cacti and mountain views in a safer setting when a hike would be pretty miserable. The sunset cruise gives you even more opportunities to see wildlife.
History of Saguaro Lake
Saguaro Lake is part of the beautiful Tonto National Forest, located just 20 minutes or so from the Mesa area. It’s not more than an hour or so from any of the Phoenix suburbs, and therefore, should be easy enough to access no matter where you are staying.
This lake was formed by the Stewart Mountain Dam, which was built in 1930, making it the last reservoir built on the Salt River. The lake was named as so after the high number of cacti lining the shores. The contrast of the lake with the gorgeous rock formations and unique desert plants is truly spectacular.
I loved every minute of this cruise: seriously the mountain scenery is pretty incredible. We saw a lot of boaters out enjoying the day. If you prefer to get more active, there are places to rent wakeboards, jet skis, kayaks, and pontoons.
So many gorgeous cacti & wildlife!
During the hour and a half narrated daytime cruise, you will be able to enjoy many of the same sights you would see on a hike, only thankfully in a cooler and more comfortable setting. Our captain was very friendly, entertaining, and informative on the area.
Other wildlife you may encounter depending on time of day and year, temperature conditions, and pure luck include: bobcats, mountain lions, coyote, deer, and bighorn sheep. Our captain informed us that a black jaguar was spotted several months ago!
Bring with some binoculars so you can be on the lookout for any wildlife. Most often that not, wildlife sightings will be limited to various birds, however, the cruise scenery is beautiful enough in itself to justify the cruise. We were lucky enough to see 2 bald eagles – fortunately we brought with our good camera for this trip!
You will see so many cacti dotting the shoreline. To me, this is the most exciting part of this cruise. If this is your first time visiting the area, I am sure you will be super impressed by the enchanting Saguaro cactus (it’s the largest in the world & only native to Arizona). These cacti in my pictures are really old.
They don’t start to grow arms until they are at least 50 years old. Multiple arms likely mean the cacti is even older. You will learn more facts on your tour and you can also browse through this fact sheet for additional info.
The cactus pictured below is a really rare sight. According to our tour guide, only about 1 in 200,000 cacti develops the crested stem featured below. You will learn many interesting facts about cacti from your guide. I found this cruise both educational and a wonderful sightseeing opportunity. If you are considering this or the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake, I would honestly go with this cruise.
We have been learning more about the Sonoran since moving here and we also learned even more during the tour. Did you know that the Sonoran is the wettest desert in the world? You will notice a lot of greenery surrounding the mountains. This desert truly is mesmerizing and the lush trees really give it more of an inspiring, alive vibe.
One of the best summer activities in Phoenix
Because there are more than 22 miles of shoreline available, this lake is a very popular summer recreational destination. We saw all sorts of people out enjoying the surroundings including fishermen, kayakers, paddleboarders, jet skiers, boaters, and even cliff jumpers. Boat rentals are available if you prefer to get more active yourself.
So, next time you find yourself visiting Phoenix during the extreme summer months, don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to the mall or movies. To me, the best attribute of this area is opportunity to see exotic scenery you won’t find anywhere else. For just a small price tag, you will take in the beauty of this gorgeous lake, possibly see some native wildlife, and enjoy many views of the beautiful cacti, all along with enjoying an entertaining history lesson of the area.
Address & Pricing Info
Location: 14011 N Bush Hwy # 2, Mesa, AZ 85215. Tip: Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure in order to choose the best seating available. There are no reserved seats.
Pricing: Desert Belle cruises are $28 per adult and $17 for kids aged 0-12. Note tickets are required for everyone even infants. Special live music, craft beer, and wine cruises available for an extra fee. Pricing current as of 2025. Learn more about different cruise options on their website.
Water, beer, and wine available on board.
No smoking. No restrooms. Pets not allowed.
Tip: Check the Arizona Key magazine for special promo codes, in addition to discount sites like Groupon, Travel Zoo, and Living Social.
